Reviews Birch Motorway Services

As service stations go, this one was pretty good. Yes, you have the usual eateries and coffee outlets that raise their prices (because they can) but we expect that. That's why I only use these places for toilet breaks, and on that subject the toilets here are very clean indeed.

I've used this services many times over the years. Very modern with good facilities including Gregg's M&S and Travelodge. Huge lorry park with good access I've never had a problem getting a space. Good layout inside and I've always found the staff friendly and helpful.

Birch, a fairly small Moto site along the M62 in Heywood near Manchester (J18-J19). This is the Eastbound side, which is smaller & older than Westbound, however this side obtains more facilities. Birch East is clearly signposted from the M62 and being an online site, it’s located directly off the motorway without the requirement to exit the road and negotiate junctions, making accessing this site much more straightforward and hassle-free for the driver. The services are also obvious from the road this way. Entering the site, car/lorry/caravan/coach parking is all clearly marked & signposted and there is plenty of each, making vehicle parking ample even when the site is slightly busier during the day. There is fuel, but it’s expensive and there is a Drive Thru Costa Coffee unit, so customers who don’t want to stop can still get a coffee and continue their journey quicker (note, this is not available at Westbound). There’s a motel (Travelodge) offering guests an overnight stay if required. In addition, this site has some green space around so dog walks are achievable, but most other motorway services have more green space. There are picnic benches outside this building so that, when the site is busy during summer, customers can utilise this seating, creating a larger capacity. The amenity building itself appears old and dated, and is fairly rough around the edges, but the interior is much better, as well as the front of the building. First is a Greggs kiosk, which is possibly the cheapest hot food option available at Birch East. It can be accessed externally, meaning customers of Greggs don’t have to enter the amenity building. This is particularly useful for HGV drivers. The main section of this amenity building consists of two shops (basic 24 hour WHSmith and a more-upmarket M&S Simply Food) as well as a large Costa lounge and Burger King unit, all quite typical of a Moto service station. It’s a limited choice, but covers most bases and the building was quiet during my visit, making the experience more satisfactory. Most of these units have massively inflated prices. There didn’t appear to be much customer seating indoors either. In addition to some gaming arcades (namely Full House, & Play and Lucky Coin) are the toilet facilities. The previous entrance, close to the amenity buildings main entrance, has been closed off for non disabled customers, meaning I had to walk through the entire building to get to the toilets. They are well lit and clean, but functionality wise lacking. Gents side consists of several urinals and just 6 WCs, of which only 5 were operable. They also still have toilets which require lots of messing around to flush (Propelair), making them quite unhygienic. Overall, it’s fair to say Birch Eastbound has been better days, being a dated building offering a limited range of food, but it’s clean and pleasant enough to visit. I’d return if needs be.

I visited Moto Services M62 Eastbound today and it was a most enjoyable experience. There is ample car parking spaces at the Services. There is a Costa at Birch Services M62 Eastbound. There is also an M&S store at Birch Services M62 Eastbound. I used the toilet facilities at the supermarket service station. I would recommend a visit to Moto Birch Services M62 Eastbound.

Yes, it was fine. The Gridserve chargers worked flawlessly and the lady at Costa was most pleasant. As such service areas go, this was one of the more pleasant experiences.